Irenaeus — Commentary on Scripture

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

Christ himself … together with the Father is the God of the living who spoke to Moses and who was also manifested to the patriarchs. In teaching this very thing he said to the Jews, “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.” What did he intend when he said this? “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.” In the first place, [Abraham believed] that he was the maker of heaven and earth, the only God. Second, he believed that God would make his seed as the stars of heaven. This is what is meant by Paul, [when he says], “as lights in the world.” Righteously, therefore, having left his earthly family, he followed the Word of God walking as a pilgrim with the Word so that he might [afterwards] make his home with the Word.

John 8:58 · 2 passages

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

And as He was the son of David, so was He also the Lord of David. And as He was from Abraham, so did He also exist before Abraham.

But the Word of God did not accept of the friendship of Abraham, as though He stood in need of it, for He was perfect from the beginning ("Before Abraham was "He says, "I am"

John 8:59

Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

And as He was capable of being handled and touched, so again did He, in a non-apprehensible form, pass through the midst of those who sought to injure Him.

John 9:1

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

They also maintain that the Saviour exhibited an emblem of this mystery in the case of that man who was blind from his birth,

John 9:3

Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

And therefore, when His disciples asked Him for what cause the man had been born blind, whether for his own or his parents' fault, He replied, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."

John 9:6

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

He healed others by a word.… But the Lord bestowed sight on the one who was blind from birth—not by a word, but by an outward action. He did this neither casually nor simply because this was how it happened. He did it this way in order to show it was the same hand of God here that had also formed man at the beginning. And therefore when his disciples asked him why he had been born blind, whether by his own fault or his parents’, Jesus said, “Neither this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God might be manifested in him.” The work of God is, after all, the forming of man. He did this by an outward action, as Scripture says, “And the Lord took clay from earth, and formed man.” Notice here too how the Lord spit on the earth, and made clay and smeared it on his eyes, showing how the ancient creation was made. He was making clear to those who can understand, that this was the [same] hand of God through which man was formed from clay. For what the creating Word had neglected to form in the womb, this he supplied openly. He did this so that the works of God might be evident…

He healed others by a word.… But the Lord bestowed sight on the one who was blind from birth—not by a word, but by an outward action. He did this neither casually nor simply because this was how it happened. He did it this way in order to show it was the same hand of God here that had also formed man at the beginning. And therefore when his disciples asked him why he had been born blind, whether by his own fault or his parents’, Jesus said, “Neither this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God might be manifested in him.” The work of God is, after all, the forming of man. He did this by an outward action, as Scripture says, “And the Lord took clay from earth, and formed man.” Notice here too how the Lord spit on the earth, and made clay and smeared it on his eyes, showing how the ancient creation was made. He was making clear to those who can understand, that this was the [same] hand of God through which man was formed from clay. For what the creating Word had neglected to form in the womb, this he supplied openly. He did this so that the works of God might be evident in him, and so that we would now seek for no other hand than that through which humanity was formed. Nor should we seek another Father, knowing that the hand of God which formed us in the beginning, and forms in the womb, has in the last times sought us lost ones out. He is gaining his own lost sheep and putting it on his shoulders and joyfully restoring it to the fold of life.

John 9:7 · 2 passages

And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

As, therefore, we are formed in the womb by the Word, this very same Word also formed sight in the one who had been blind from his birth. In this way, he openly showed who it is who forms us in secret, since now the Word himself had been revealed to the world. It also made known the ancient formation of Adam and how he was made, and through what hand he was formed—indicating the whole [of Adam’s creation] by showing us a part [of it]. For the Lord who formed sight is he who has formed the entire person, and in doing so, carried out the will of the Father. But in respect to that formation in men and women that took place after Adam—when humanity fell into sin—there was a need for the washing of regeneration. This is why the Lord said to the man to whom he had given sight, “Go to Siloam and wash.” In this way, he provided both his physical reformation and his regeneration which comes through washing. And this is why, when he washed, he came back seeing. He would come to know his creator and humanity would come to know him who has given us life.

And inasmuch as man, with respect to that formation which, was after Adam, having fallen into transgression, needed the layer of regeneration,

John 9:30

The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

The deceased daughter of the high priest; the widow's dead son, who was being carried out to burial near the gate of the city; and Lazarus, who had lain four days in the tomb, in what bodies did they rise again? In those same, no doubt, in which they had also died. For if it were not in the very same, then certainly those same individuals who had died did not rise again.

John 11:25 · 2 passages

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

But our Lord is Himself the resurrection, as He does Himself declare, "I am the resurrection and the life."

If he is not the God of the dead but of the living, yet was called the God of the fathers who were sleeping, they do undoubtedly live to God and have not passed out of existence, since they are children of the resurrection. But our Lord is himself the resurrection, as he himself declares, “I am the resurrection and the life.” But the fathers are his children, for it is said by the prophet: “In the place of ancestors you, O king, shall have sons.” Christ himself, therefore, together with the Father, is the God of the living who spoke to Moses and who was also made known to the fathers.

John 11:35

Jesus wept.

Why did he come down into [Mary his mother] if he were to take nothing of her? If he had taken nothing of Mary, he … would never have wept over Lazarus.

John 11:44

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Concerning Lazarus, who had lain four days in the tomb: In what [body did he] rise again? In the same, no doubt, in which he had also died. For if it were not in the very same [body], then certainly he who had died did not rise again.… “The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth.” This was symbolic of that man who had been bound in sins. And therefore the Lord said, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Therefore, since those who were healed were made whole in those members that had in times past been afflicted, and the dead rose in the identical bodies, their limbs and bodies receiving health, so also that life that was granted by the Lord who prefigures eternal things by temporal ones shows that it is he who is himself able to extend both healing and life to his handiwork so that his words concerning its [future] resurrection may also be believed.

John 11:54

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

Then, when He had raised Lazarus from the dead, and plots were formed against Him by the Pharisees, He withdrew to a city called Ephraim; and from that place, as it is written "He came to Bethany six days before the passover"

John 12:13

Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

The Lord granted, by means of his advent, a greater gift of grace to those of a later period than what he had granted to those under the Old Testament dispensation. For they indeed used to hear, from his servants, about the King who would come, and they rejoiced to a certain extent, inasmuch as they hoped for his coming. But those who have actually been in his presence and have been freed and made partakers of his gifts—they possess a greater amount of grace and a higher degree of exultation in their rejoicing because the King has arrived. This is also what David says, “My soul shall rejoice in the Lord; it shall be glad in his salvation.” And for this reason, on his entrance into Jerusalem, all those who were in the way recognized David their king in the sorrow of his soul, and spread their garments for him and ornamented the way with green boughs, crying out with great joy and gladness, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: hosanna in the highest.” … What had been declared by David concerning the Son of God was accomplished in his own person…

The Lord granted, by means of his advent, a greater gift of grace to those of a later period than what he had granted to those under the Old Testament dispensation. For they indeed used to hear, from his servants, about the King who would come, and they rejoiced to a certain extent, inasmuch as they hoped for his coming. But those who have actually been in his presence and have been freed and made partakers of his gifts—they possess a greater amount of grace and a higher degree of exultation in their rejoicing because the King has arrived. This is also what David says, “My soul shall rejoice in the Lord; it shall be glad in his salvation.” And for this reason, on his entrance into Jerusalem, all those who were in the way recognized David their king in the sorrow of his soul, and spread their garments for him and ornamented the way with green boughs, crying out with great joy and gladness, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: hosanna in the highest.” … What had been declared by David concerning the Son of God was accomplished in his own person.… It was he himself who was announced by the prophets as Christ, whose name is praised in all the earth.

John 12:24

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

A cutting from the vine planted in the ground bears fruit in its season, or a kernel of wheat falling into the earth and becoming decomposed rises and is multiplied by the Spirit of God, who contains all things. And then, through the wisdom of God, it serves for our use when, after receiving the Word of God, it becomes the Eucharist, which is the body and blood of Christ. In the same way our bodies, being nourished by it, and deposited in the earth and suffering decomposition there, shall rise at their appointed time. The Word of God grants them resurrection to the glory of God, even the Father who freely gives to this mortal immortality, and to this corruptible incorruption. This is so because the strength of God is made perfect in weakness in order that we may never become puffed up, as if we had life from ourselves, or become exalted against God with ungrateful minds.

John 12:27

Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

They teach that the passions which she endured were indicated by the Lord upon the cross. Thus, when He said, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" He simply showed that Sophia was deserted by the light, and was restrained by Horos from making any advance forward. Her anguish, again, was indicated when He said, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death;" her fear by the words, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me;" and her perplexity, too, when He said, "And what I shall say, I know not."

John 12:32

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

He took up humanity into himself, the invisible becoming visible, the incomprehensible being made comprehensible, the impassible becoming capable of suffering and the Word being made human, thus summing up all things in himself: so that as in supercelestial, spiritual and invisible things, the Word of God is supreme, so also in things visible and corporeal he might possess the supremacy, and, taking to himself the preeminence, as well as constituting himself head of the church, he might draw all things to himself at the proper time.

John 13:5

After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

Now in the last days, when the fullness of the time of liberty had arrived, the Word himself did by himself “wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion” when he washed the disciples’ feet with his own hands. For this is the end [result] of the human race inheriting God. In the beginning, by means of our first [parents], we were all brought into bondage by being made subject to death. And so now, at last, by means of the new man, all who from the beginning were his disciples—having been cleansed and washed from whatever pertains to death—come to life with God. For he who washed the feet of the disciples sanctified the entire body and rendered it clean. For this reason, too, he administered food to them while reclining, indicating that those who were lying in the earth were those to whom he came to impart life.